Hawks vs. the Tits game thread

[Captain 97]

Yeah, believe scrimaging is considered more valuable than preseason games

Seems odd but it does seem they agree with this.

I think they feel they can run the full of the offense without giving things away. A scrimmage won't have any game film out there like there will for future opponents to dissect like a pre-season game would.

[Michael K.]

Yeah, believe scrimaging is considered more valuable than preseason games

Seems odd but it does seem they agree with this.

I think they feel they can run the full of the offense without giving things away. A scrimmage won't have any game film out there like there will for future opponents to dissect like a pre-season game would.

Well, Harbaugh has practice and scrimmage film, but no one else!

I was so happy we made his first game back in the pros such an ass kicking for him. What a dickhead.

[Sibelius Hindemith]

Yeah, he wins a NC in a year where he is barred from coaching several of the games and they didn't even miss him. Then he skedaddles so a new head coach can deal with the sanctions.

[D-train]

Yeah, he wins a NC in a year where he is barred from coaching several of the games and they didn't even miss him. Then he skedaddles so a new head coach can deal with the sanctions.

Very similar to PC bolting from USC to the NFL...

[D-train]

That doesn’t mean there aren’t reasons to watch, though.

Here are five that stand out.

More work for Sam Howell
Geno Smith likely got all the scrimmage work he will this preseason in the practices here, leaving the QB duties in the final two preseason games to backups Sam Howell and PJ Walker.

Howell also played three quarters of the preseason opener against the Chargers and put up credible enough numbers — 16 of 27 for 130 yards and a TD. He also got ample work against the Titans (including a final two-minute drill with the backups Thursday that ended with him throwing an interception to linebacker Chance Campbell over the middle.)

Of course, Howell’s numbers might look better if he got the chance to throw to DK Metcalf, Tyler Lockett and Jaxon Smith-Njigba. Only Smith-Njigba played in the first game, but after getting a lot of work here, it will be interesting to see if he plays in the game — any snaps would figure to be minimal.

Alternately, Howell will be playing against a Tennessee defense going with its backups — and that has a banged-up secondary anyway.

What the Seahawks will be looking for from Howell as much as anything is good decision-making and avoidance of interceptions and drive-killing sacks.

Tyrice Knight’s development
Knight, a fourth-round pick out of UTEP, continues to work with the starting defense at weakside linebacker with Jerome Baker, who has been out the last two weeks, still sidelined with a hamstring injury — and no clear ETA on when he will return. Baker also missed the offseason program while rehabbing from previous injuries.

Asked if he was concerned about Baker’s absence, Macdonald said Wednesday: “Just the same mentality. Just get the other guys ready to go, and when he comes back, we’ll be rolling.”

Knight played much of the first preseason game, and while he got a lot of work in the joint practices, he could get some more time in the game as the team continues to try to get him ready if he has to play in the regular season.

“Yeah, we’re throwing a lot at him, on purpose,’’ Macdonald said this week. “But just keep on coming along man, keep finding new stuff to screw up, and you’ll keep growing.”

Backup middle linebacker Jon Rhattigan also missed the joint practices with a heel injury, meaning two of the team’s top four inside linebackers have been out — and the reason Seattle in the last 10 days signed Blake Lynch and brought back Easton Gibbs, both of whom got some work here as backup ILBs.

The backup running back battle
Don’t expect Kenneth Walker III and Zach Charbonnet to play — Charbonnet is also dealing with a back issue that held him out this week, though Macdonald said he doesn’t think it’s serious.

That figures to leave the early running back work to undrafted rookie free agent George Holani and second-year player Kenny McIntosh, who appear in close to a dead heat for the third running back spot — or could just compel Seattle to keep each of them on the initial 53-man roster.

Holani worked as Walker’s backup this week with the number one offense and McIntosh typically with the twos — which seems to indicate Holani is ahead on the depth chart.

But it was McIntosh who was with the starting offense during a final 11-on-11 two-minute drill Thursday, catching a pass for a short gain from Smith on one of Seattle’s eight plays on that drive. That seems to indicate Seattle still views McIntosh as a contender for the third-down, two-minute role. One big question about McIntosh is his pass blocking, something Holani did well in a few opportunities against the Chargers.

The sudden competition at right guard
While most starters may not play, the Seahawks could still give what is for now their starting interior offensive line trio some work as they continue to sort things out. Olu Oluwatimi is the starting center for now, but newly-signed free agent Connor Williams may start practicing next week, and Oluwatimi could get more work against the Titans to continue to get the second-year player experience.

Seattle also shook up its guard spot here, inserting rookie third-round pick Christian Haynes with the starting unit at right guard on Thursday, consigning Anthony Bradford to the backups (Bradford went with the ones on Wednesday.)

Haynes also played a tiny bit of left guard against the Chargers (three of his 41 overall snaps, according to Pro Football Focus) behind starter Laken Tomlinson. Bradford has been the presumed starter at RG after starting 10 games a year ago. But Haynes appears to be closing the gap and could get more chances to do so against the Titans.

Will a backup WR step up?
As noted, don’t expect Lockett (who sat out practices here) or Metcalf to play. Smith-Njigba and Jake Bobo also might not do much, if anything, having gotten a lot of work here.

That should leave a lot of snaps for players such as Dareke Young, Laviska Shenault Jr., Easop Winston Jr. and Cody White to state their case for a fifth and/or sixth WR spot. One player who could miss out on that opportunity is Dee Eskridge, who did not practice here while sidelined (no specific injury was given), the latest setback for the 2021 second-round pick who may be close to running out of chances.

[Donn Beach]

Heres an article if anyone wants to bother. Scrimmages are seen as a better ecaluation tool for starters, preseason games for players fighting to make the roster.

“I think the joint practices are really going to be a good evaluation tool,” Houston Texans general manager Nick Caserio said. “What a lot of teams have done throughout the league, sometimes your most competitive snaps and most competitive reps occur during the course of the week. Maybe you handle the game a little bit differently.”

[

“I’m a big fan of the scrimmages because you get to work against new schemes,” Jets coach Robert Saleh said. “You get to work against new verbiage. You get to work against different humans, obviously in a respectful way, but you go in there, you compete under a controlled environment, so you’re not trying to make things up. We’re not trying to scheme against them. We’re still installing our stuff. You’re just getting to do it against a different person and a different way of doing things, a different scheme. We’re just trying to continue to get better, to be honest with you.”

Pete wasnt a fan of scrimmaging, so i would think it could be viewed as a Mcdonald inovation

I think we control practice better the way we do it,” Seahawks coach Pete Carroll said. “Look how hard we were running against each other the other day. More than that, we cherish the preseason games. We use the preseason games. I’ve done those practices before, but we feel like we can keep our focus and stay within the stuff we need to do.”

https://www.usatoday.com/story/sports/n ... 577361007/

[Sibelius Hindemith]

Yeah, he wins a NC in a year where he is barred from coaching several of the games and they didn't even miss him. Then he skedaddles so a new head coach can deal with the sanctions.

Very similar to PC bolting from USC to the NFL...

From what i remember, Carroll's situation was similar to what happened with UW under Don James, though it was on a larger scale at USC. And the penalties against Washington by the Pac10 were more severe and driven by an intent to cripple the program and help the LA schools. But Carroll and James weren't trying to gain an advantage against opponents by any action like what Harbaugh was doing with the sign stealing crap.

[Michael K.]

Yeah, he wins a NC in a year where he is barred from coaching several of the games and they didn't even miss him. Then he skedaddles so a new head coach can deal with the sanctions.

Very similar to PC bolting from USC to the NFL...

From what i remember, Carroll's situation was similar to what happened with UW under Don James, though it was on a larger scale at USC. And the penalties against Washington by the Pac10 were more severe and driven by an intent to cripple the program and help the LA schools. But Carroll and James weren't trying to gain an advantage against opponents by any action like what Harbaugh was doing with the sign stealing crap.

Similar and yet different. Billy Joe gets a loan for a pickup based on the knowledge that when he goes pro he will pay it back….and Reggie Bush’s parents get a Beach House.

Jokes aside…I think your assessment is pretty accurate.

[D-train]

This is interesting:

[maoling]

A drippy, humid 100 degrees or so on the field at Nissan Stadium in Nashville right now.

Good test to see who stands up and who wilts.